The simplicity of a BLT is what has drawn people to this sandwich since the Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book first introduced it in 1903. But what makes the BLT so sublime is how its eponymous ingredients — bacon, lettuce, and tomato — layered with a creamy slather of mayonnaise on toasted bread come together to create a symphony of salty, sweet, rich, and juicy flavors and textures in one bite.
And across the pond, starting in the 1860s, beer-battered, flaky fillets of mild cod served with crispy fried potatoes (chips) have reigned supreme in Britain, and still do today.
MORE: The Unusual History of Fish and Chips
Well, imagine a sandwich that traces its mouthwatering lineage to both of these classics, and you’ve got the Crispy Alaskan Cod BLT: battered wild-caught cod that is pan-fried and set on a mayonnaise-slathered soft potato roll, then topped with thick-cut bacon, crispy lettuce, and a juicy tomato.
Alaskan cod's thick, moist, large flake becomes melty and mouthwatering under the crisp batter, and its mild taste balances the salty bacon, sweet tomatoes, and briny punch of pickles that brings it all home.
After pan frying, rest the fillets on a wire cooling rack to retain their crispness; doing so allows air to circulate them (ye olde paper towels trap steam, rendering fillets soggy). And about that potato roll? This pillowy soft bread (owing to the addition of starchy potatoes to the bread dough) is the perfect contrast to all the crisp and crunch of the fish, bacon, and lettuce.
SERVINGS
Recipe courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
- Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 14 cup baking powder
- 12 cup milk
- 12 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- Sandwiches
- 112 pounds Alaskan cod (cut into six pieces to fit bun size)
- Canola or vegetable oil (for frying)
- 6 potato roll buns
- 1 large tomato (thickly sliced)
- 12 slices bacon (cooked until crispy (alternative: add capers for saltiness))
- Fresh dill
- Sliced dill kosher pickles
- Butter or romaine lettuce leaves (for serving)
- Spread
- 13 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 12 garlic clove (grated)
- Mix the batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, water, baking powder, and salt until smooth. The batter will bubble up, but continue to stir until the bubbles dissipate and the batter is smooth. Add Old Bay and cayenne, and stir again.
- Fry the cod
Line a baking sheet with paper towels and top with a wire cooling rack; set aside. Heat 1.5 inches of oil in a small cast-iron skillet until it shimmers but isn’t smoking.
Dip one piece of cod into the batter and drop directly into the skillet with oil. Cook each fillet one at a time, about four minutes on each side until golden brown with an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place fried fillets on the wire cooling rack to drain. Continue this process with each piece of cod.
- Make the sandwich spread
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic, and set aside.
- Assemble sandwiches
- Toast the buns. Spread mayonnaise mixture on each bun. Layer on pickles, dill, fish, tomatoes, bacon, and lettuce. Serve immediately.
AUTHOR
Theresa Gambacorta is a food writer and 25-year veteran of New York City's restaurant industry. Her writing has appeared in such titles as La Cucina Italiana, Men's Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, and Centennial's special interest publications. She is the co-author of chef Joey Campanaro's Big Love Cooking (Chronicle) and is currently working on a cookbook about Persian cuisine to be published by Knopf.